The 34th ‘Ramstein’ conference has kicked off in Berlin: Fedorov outlined Ukraine’s priorities
Mykhailo Fedorov stated at the opening of the meeting that Ukraine is working every day to achieve peace, but diplomacy, he said, yields results only when the state is strong on the battlefield and Russia’s ability to continue the war is diminishing. In his opening remarks, he also thanked partners for their contribution to strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities.
According to Fedorov, Ukraine’s approach is currently based on three key areas: air, land and the economy. It is precisely this model, the minister emphasised, that is already yielding results and should strengthen Ukraine’s position in negotiations and on the front line.
Fedorov identified Ukraine’s key priorities at this ‘Ramstein’ as strengthening air defence, increasing the production of drones and missiles, and building up stocks of long-range artillery ammunition. Separately, he announced new initiatives aimed at deepening cooperation with partners and developing mutually beneficial defence projects.
On the eve of the meeting, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported that Fedorov had held a separate conversation with Boris Pistorius regarding preparations for the meeting. The ministry’s statement also mentioned expectations of new aid packages and further coordination with partners within the Contact Group.
At the previous ‘Ramstein’ meeting, held on 12 February at NATO headquarters in Brussels, the allies announced a commitment to provide Ukraine with $35 billion in military aid by 2026. Against this backdrop, the current meeting in Berlin is seen as the next stage in coordinating new support packages.
As reported by ThePublic, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre signed a declaration on defence partnership. The agreements provide for the joint production of weapons and unmanned systems.
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